1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to intravenous equipment transport devices and more particularly relates to a telescopically adjustable transport pole for intravenous equipment which may be locked conveniently and releasably to a wheeled base, a wheelchair or another patient transport unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art transport devices for intravenous equipment have tended to be somewhat awkward and unstable and have also lacked convenience of usage. The common type one-piece intravenous equipment wheeled support pole has proven to be unstable and quite inadequate for propelling intravenous equipment through hospital corridors alongside a wheelchair. Prior art devices are known for connecting an intravenous support pole to a wheelchair or hospital stretcher and examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,709,556; 4,113,122; and 4,511,157.
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an intravenous equipment support unit which is more simplified and more convenient to use and which can be releasably locked in a safe and secure manner to a hospital wheelchair or stretcher, or can optionally be provided with a stable wheeled base.
A further object of the invention is to provide an intravenous equipment support pole which is telescopically adjustable, and which includes a simple and efficient semi-automatic locking device whereby upper sections of the support pole can be quickly locked releasably to a pole base section by a manual "plug-in" action, with the pole base section attached either to a wheeled base or a wheelchair or the like.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following detailed description.